Saturday, March 31, 2012

After returning home from World War II, veteran Mickey Spillane was prepared to go back to his civilian job of writing comics. But instead, he opted to take an idea for a new comic series and turn it into a private eye novel called, “I, The Jury.” Released in 1947, it was the first book to feature tough-as-nails Mike Hammer. (His last name pretty much defining everything he was about.) The book was a phenomenal success and the publisher was eager to get Spillane to do more. Three years later the first Mike Hammer sequel, “My Gun is Quick” appeared on the bookstore shelves and became as big a seller as the first. Both Spillane and his creation were on their way to becoming literary icons.

When Spillane passed away several years ago, he left his notes and such to his friend and protégé, Max Allan Collins. Among these files were bits and pieces of unfinished Mike Hammer mysteries. Getting the green light from several excited publishers, Collins set about finishing these projects and getting them in print. Thus far we’ve seen three;

Now comes the fourth and perhaps the most anxiously awaited of the entire lot. You see, according to Collins’ prologue notes, “Lady, Go Die” is actually the original sequel Spillane had intended to follow “I, The Jury.” Why he never finished it and instead completed and offered up “My Gun is Quick” is a puzzle no one will ever be able to fully solve. Still, it adds a generous slice of real mystery to this story that was envisioned by one of the greatest writers of our times nearly seventy years ago.

Taking up where the first Hammer book left off, “Lady, Go Die” finds the irascible P.I. and his gorgeous brunette secretary, Velda, traveling to a little beach resort town in Long Island for some R & R. Velda and Hammer’s cop pal, Det. Pat Chambers, think the emotional battering he suffered in his first case has left Hammer in need of some quiet time. Alas, as they discover all too speedily, Hammer’s personal shadow is called Trouble. No sooner does the couple arrive in Sidon, nearly deserted in its off-season, then they witness the brutal beating of a slow-witted drifter by three policemen, one known to Hammer as a dirty cop from the City.

Hammer steps in, pounds a few heads and rescues the helpless young man. Within hours, he and Velda learn that the small community is in a tizzy, as its most popular citizen, a famous ex-dancer turned media celebrity has vanished without a trace. Days later, her nude body is found draped over the stone statue of a horse in the park on the public beach.

Hammer smells the familiar odor of corruption and begins to investigate on his own. He soon learns the dead woman’s mansion was in actuality a secret gambling casino being fronted by a mob personality whose identity is carefully hidden. As if that weren’t enough to keep Hammer and Velda busy, dodging lead and wrestling with gangster muscle, their inquiries also unearth other, supposedly unrelated murders; all of young women in neighboring towns and counties. Now the savvy Hammer has to follow two different trails and decide if they connect or not. Suddenly he’s confronting dangerous mob gunsels at the same time hunting a twisted serial killer who may be targeting his next victim.

“Lady, Go Die” is another terrific Mike Hammer caper that moves non-stop like a flying cheetah across the reader’s field of imagination and comes to a pouncing kill in a truly classic Spillane finale. A big tip of the pulp fedora to this one, gents.

When this reviewer can chew through four hundred and fifty-seven pages of fiction as if it were a ball of yummy cotton-candy, you know there is lots of awesome action in those pages.“Scarecrow” by Matthew Reilly is easily one of the fastest paced action thrillers I’ve ever had the pleasure of devouring.From the very first page to the last, it takes off like a rocket ship cutting through one massive, terrorist style threat after another pitting our hero, Special Forces Marine Captain Shane Schofield against a veritable army of the deadliest professional killers in the world.

The plot is about as melodramatic as these kind of books can get.A super secret group of arms dealers wish to create a second Cold War so that there will be a renewed demand for their product; a need that has lessened considerably since the collapse of the Soviet Union.They plan elaborate missile strikes against the major cities of both the east and the west, using weaponry that can be traced back to specific nations and thus throw false blame on them. What the group doesn’t know is that amongst them is a psychopath who has no interest in a “cold” war, but rather this monster is intent on starting Armageddon and seeing the world destroyed.

The only thing that can foil this global scheme is the fact that all the missiles can be aborted by one universal “kill” code; a code that requires near super human reflexes to administer.There are only fifteen men in the world, soldiers, who have such reflexes to properly activate this “kill” switch.Thus the clandestine group puts a million dollar bounty on their heads, literally.They also set a time-table as they want these targets eliminated before the launching of their insidious plan.

Captain Shane Schofield, code name Scarecrow, is one of those targeted for execution.Of course, he isn’t that easy to kill and when he escapes the first attempt on his life, he immediately begins to turn the tables on his hunters.At the same time he is fleeing these crazed killers, he is using his Pentagon contacts to figure out what is actually going on and by the last quarter of the book, Scarecrow has unraveled the plot and begins racing against time to save the world.

Honestly, there were times when reading Reilly’s over-the-top outlandish action sequence where I was thought even Michael Bay couldn’t do justice to this gung-ho Road Runner cartoon brought to life.There is more action in this one book than any other dozen bestselling thrillers on the market today.Reilly is the quintessential New Pulp writer who understands the rules of break-neck pacing and the objective of entertaining the hell out of his readers.He does both masterfully.It is no wonder he has a huge fan following amongst action readers; this reviewer being the latest recruit.

Note, “Scarecrow” was written back in 2003 and the dog-eared copy I just read was sent to me last year by my Canadian colleague, Andrew Salmon, a long time Reilly convert who knew I’d get a bang out of it. I just couldn’t imagine just how big a bang it would be.

From the earliest days of broadcasting, radio audiences always loved a "really big show". In December of 1943, a musical variety series that would quickly become one of the most distinguished - and expensive - radio shows on the air debuted on the then newly formed Blue Network. Titled the Radio Hall of Fame, this hour-long Sunday evening offering presented itself as a weekly tribute to the best entertainment then available on stage, in radio, on recordings, and in motion pictures.

Sponsored by the Philco Corporation, makers of refrigerators and the largest radio manufacturer in the country, Radio Hall of Fame featured entertainers considered the best of the best then, many still remembered today, including Fred Allen, Bing Crosby, Orson Welles, and many more!

Heard today, the Radio Hall of Fame remains outstanding entertainment, reflecting the tastes of the general public during the latter years of World War II. There's never any shortage of talent on hand. And today, in a time when the once-common variety show has completely disappeared from the airwaves, it's fun to return to an era when listeners could literally expect to hear anyone or anything presented in a sixty-minute line-up.

The nine broadcasts in Radio Hall of Fame, Volume 2 have been fully and beautifully restored to the best sparkling audio quality possible. These programs are truly a piece of history as well as examples of some of the finest entertainers of the Twentieth Century and belong in any Pop Culture enthusiast's collection! Get yours today, Nine Audio CDs for $26.98!

One way to tell a radio show is truly great is when it stands out above its own format, which in today's terms may be overdone and clichéd. Mystery is My Hobby, by that definition is a truly great show.

Aired originally from 1945 to 1947, this fantastic, albeit formulaic program featured Barton Drake, as played by Glenn Langan. A mystery writer by trade, Drake spends much of his time solving mysteries that seem to occur naturally all around him, plying his 'hobby' on a regular basis with his sidekick, Policeman Noah Danton. Usually the crime is committed, either while Drake and Danton are around or just prior to their arrival on the scene. Drake then, in the style of The Falcon or The Saint, works his way through the clues given and danger offered and solves the mystery, using the last few minutes to explain just how he did it to the slightly obtuse Danton.

On first listen, "Mystery is My Hobby" sounds like several other radio shows of the same format and you can definitely tell that it was one of the precursors to television shows like "Murder, She Wrote', 'Diagnosis Murder' and others. What makes this light mystery program stand out, however, are the two lead characters - Drake and Danton. There's most definitely a typical 'Lead and sidekick' relationship between them, but there's something more. The two characters interact with each other with a humor and relaxed ease that not only makes the listener grin, but serves to ingratiate and involve them in the plot. The banter between Danton and Drake engages you to the point that you're wrapped up in the mystery almost immediately and even though you have the general idea of how it's going to play out, you're fully invested and enjoy the entire episode.

Although most of the mysteries that Drake finds himself engaged in do end up in murder, another intriguing aspect of the show is that all the crimes aren't always centered on something so fatal. Blackmail, theft, and other interesting crimes pop their head up throughout this collection. Mystery is My Hobby is a good example of a well established light formulaic mystery program, but even more so it's a hoot to listen to because of the bickering between Drake and Danton. And you can enjoy ten hours of this wonderfully fun amateur detective show for only $29.98 on Audio CDs from Radio Archives!

Doctor Death is back for second clash with supernatural detective, Jimmy Holm, and his team. When a Zombi strangles a wealthy and influencial Egyptian in his New York apartment, Holm and Police Inspector Ricks knows it signals that Doctor Death is opening up a strange new front on his sworn war against modern man. Master of many forbidden sciences, servant of Satan, Death—in reality disgraced Yale psychologist Rance Mandarin—has assembled a legion of living dead and unclean elementals to do this wicked bidding. But Death wants more. Much more.

The trail of dead and undead alike leads to Egypt, land of a million mystical mysteries. There, lies the tomb of Anubis, the jackal-headed Lord of the Underworld. Thought to have been a god, in reality he was once a wizard. And in his sarcophagus rests the long-lost secret of reanimating an unstoppable new army to do Death's bidding. For Doctor Death will not rest until he has resurrected all of Egypt's entombed mummies!

Only Jimmy Holm and the strange alliance of power political leaders and Underworld kingpins known collectively as the Secret Twelve possess the will to stand against Death and his Undead things. But to win, Holm must ally himself with the mysterious Egyptian ruler known as Queen Charmion. Can she be trusted? More importantly, how do you defeat a human monster who can implant his soul in the body of any living person at will? Can anyone be trusted if they might be in reality…Doctor Death? Buy the second audiobook of one of our most popular titles for only $17.98 on Audio CDs from Radio Archives.

Audiobook Reader Profile: An Interview with Joey D'Auria

A Scientist driven mad by his own desires and evil depravity! Zombies, giants, and horrible powers of the mind at his disposal! The world on its knees! And a stalwart group of Twelve led by an intrepid Police Detective stand as the only thing between this lunatic and world domination! All of this and more is what readers of Pulps in the early 20th Century thrilled and chilled to in stories written by Harold Ward under the mysterious nom de guerre Zorro! These were the tales of Doctor Death!

Listeners today will find just as much horror and adventure in Doctor Death as they are presented as audiobooks as a part of Will Murray's Pulp Classics! Brought to chilling life by the fantastic reading provided by Joey D'Auria, the heroic adventure of Jimmy Holm and his team as well as the true horror of the mad Doctor Death keeps listeners coming back for more and leaves goosebumps at the end of every chapter.

Translating a classic Pulp Tale to a modern Audiobook is exciting enough. That challenge becomes even greater when the lead character in the story is not the dashing hero rushing into save the day, but instead the insane villain of the piece. This sort of story requires a special talent, someone who can easily move back and forth between the cruel machinations of Doctor Death and the desperate do-gooding of Jimmy Holm. Joey D'Auria is exactly the voice talent to do just that and much more.

"I have always been a huge fan of radio drama," D'Auria stated. "In fact, back in the mid 1970's in Los Angeles, my very good friend Roger Rittner and I created the Variety Arts Radio Theater, performing recreations of classic radio shows from the 30's, 40's and 50's on stage for a live audience. Our sound effects man did all our sound effects live and without recordings. We even recreated classic period radio commercials."

Even when life pushed Joey other directions, he made his way back to audio. "When I was offered the job as WGN-TV's Bozo the Clown in 1984, my family and I left L. A. for Chicago, and while there, in addition to working as Bozo the Clown, I also worked in stage productions and in TV and radio commercials. When the Bozo Show ended in 2001, my wife and I moved back to California, and in Hollywood, I returned to working in voice over and animation. One of my first jobs back in L. A. in 2002 was for the anime series Daigunder, in which I played Commissioner Spinklestarber.

In 2003," D'Auria continued, "I was in Great Britain as the principle writer and show coordinator on Star Trek the Experience For See Entertainment in Hyde Park, London. Returning to the States, I became head writer and did occasional voices for Betsy's Kindergarten Adventures on PBS. And I also supplied assorted voices for Universal/Imagine's "Curious George" (The Movie). From there I worked on War of the Worlds: Goliath for Tripod Entertainment and most recently was the voice of General Alister Azimuth for Insomniac Games Ratchet & Clank Future - A Crack in Time. Today most of my work is for video games."

Signing on as one of the voices of Will Murray's Pulp Classics, Joey brought his own knowledge and experience with Pulp to the table. "When I was a kid," he related, "a friend's father had a huge pulp collection stashed inside the family's fallout shelter in the back yard. My friend and I would spend lazy summer days sequestered down there eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and reading Amazing Stories, Captain Future, Man of Tomorrow and several other collections whose names I don't remember. However, the thing that really drew me into "The Pulps" was the fantastic artwork on the covers."

Joey sees Pulp today as just as attractive for modern readers and listeners today as it was for him as a child. When asked what appeal Pulp tales like 'Doctor Death' might have for fans today, he stated, "The same things that no doubt appealed to the audiences of the 1930's, '40's and '50's! Action, adventure, thrills! Momentary escapism into a fantastic world where anything is possible!"

That escapism is something that D'Auria definitely enjoys about his work on Doctor Death. "The Doctor Death stories are marvelous period melodrama. For starters, you have tough talking 1930's detectives and they are coming up against a world of mad scientists and occult creatures. Here the heroes are 100% patriotic, noble and forthright - even the notorious uncrowned king of the underworld Tony Caminetti steps up and puts all criminal activity in the USA on hold for the good of the country."

The cast that D'Auria has to work with in his reading of this Pulp series is definitely varied and interesting. He explained, "It's true the stories are all centered on Doctor Death and his insane schemes, but we also have a lot of wonderful characters who are integral to each Doctor Death plot. I approach my reading by not just telling the story - but by attempting to breathe life into all the assorted characters that people this world."

Joey admits, however, that even as grand as the heroes are, he finds just as much amusement in playing the lead role. "The madly deranged Doctor Death," D'Auria added, "brings to the party a delightfully unrepentant mad scientist who wants to take over the world and doesn't care how many people he has to kill to do it! Doctor Death is a wonderful villain . . . and I must confess that I really miss him when he doesn't show up in a chapter to spread his special brand of whimsical malevolence. So, I guess you could say the most fun for me in reading these stories is playing Doctor Death!"

D'Auria believes that listeners to the Will Murray Pulp Classics audiobooks will be drawn to the same aspects of the stories as fans of the original Pulp tales were, particularly the action. "The beauty of the pulps is that they don't short-change the reader on action and excitement. And it's that same action and excitement that also makes them such wonderful material for us readers. All of the other readers (many of whom are old friends of mine) are fine actors and each brings his or her own special talents to each of their stories."

Joey D'Auria definitely plans to keep going with Doctor Death as long as the dastardly doctor is a part of the Will Murray Pulp Classics line up, but he also wouldn't mind reliving some of his childhood Pulp favorites as a reader as well. "I would love to continue with the series. However, if I were to head into another direction - I guess I would have to confess to a desire for some old fashioned science fiction that harkens back to those days so long ago when I was reading stories like Captain Future, Man of Tomorrow down in my friend Peter's fallout shelter."

Will Murray's Pulp Classics is proud to present Two Volumes of Doctor Death as read by the spectacularly talented Joey D'Auria. Get '12 Must Die' for $14.98 and the latest audibook "The Gray Creatures' for $17.98! If you're looking for the best in Audiobook and Pulp entertainment and a good villain to boot, then Doctor Death as performed by Joey D'Auria and presented by Will Murray's Pulp Classics is exactly what you're after!

People are forever asking me what do I see in this Pulp stuff anyway? "It's old" they'll say or "That stuff is corny"

Maybe so, but if a crime fighting Buddhist monk is corny, then give me more of it because that's the kind of corn I love to eat. Up until now my knowledge of The Green Lama has only been limited to the prose anthologies and novels I've read. The thing that grabbed me about The Green Lama is that it's a concept I'd have bet good money on wouldn't work in the pulps but I'm switched if it doesn't. Which actually is a good thing. The Green Lama is a refreshing change of pace from guys like The Shadow and The Spider who usually leave several dump trucks full of dead bad guys at the end of their adventures. Not The Green Lama. He relies on his trusty prayer scarf and his knowledge of human anatomy to incapacitate his foes. After listening to "The Case of The Crimson Hand" and "Croesus of Murder" I wonder if Gene Roddenberry got the idea for the Vulcan nerve pinch from The Green Lama.

The Radio Archives audiobook is voiced by Michael McConnohie who is my favorite voice talent when it comes to Radio Archives audiobooks. Not to take away from the others because I honestly haven't yet listened to an audiobook of theirs I didn't like. But Mr. McConnohie's ability to do different voices never fails to amaze me. Mr. Connohie is absolutely terrific in his dramatic reading that conveys the excitement of the stories.

Once again Radio Archives filled one of my slow Sunday afternoons with a wonderful production that kept me glued to my seat. My intention was to do some household chores while listening to "The Case of The Crimson Hand" and "Croesus of Murder" but that quickly went out the window as I simply did not want to get up. Another worthy addition to any pulp fan's audio drama library. And it can be a part of yours for only $17.98 from Radio Archives!

The best of timeless Pulp now available as cutting edge Ebooks! Will Murray's Pulp Classics brings the greatest heroes, awesome action, and two fisted thrills to your E-Reader! Presenting Pulp Icons such as the Spider and Operator 5 as well as wonderfully obscure characters like Doctor Death and more, Will Murray's Pulp Classics brings you the best of yesterday's Pulp today!

Five new golden age Pulp tales exquisitely reformatted into visually stunning E-books!

In the heart of New York's Chinatown, on his imperial throne, guarded by swordsmen and gunmen and a labyrinth of death traps, sat the Arch-Criminal of all time. Master of life and death, of disease, of horrible, crawling things — the Emperor of Vermin released destruction over city and nation. The Spider, Master of Men, champion of humanity, fought with every ounce of his cunning, against the monster who personified evil incarnate — while one faithful servant gave his life in this, the Spider's most bitter, hopeless battle, and Nita herself was faced with a doom more ghastly than any criminal mind had conceived before! Another epic exploit of America's best-loved pulp-fiction character of the 1930s and 1940s: The Spider — Master of Men! As a special Bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction: “Meet the Spider” especially for this series of eBooks.

Sere, ghastly, the Severed Hand brought its grisly warning to New York. Its citizens must pay the extortioner's price or die, their living bodies slowly, agonizingly transformed into rigid mummies! The police were helpless, and only Richard Wentworth, in the Spider's weird garb, could wage battle — against the master murder-chemist who killed to corral a fortune! Another epic exploit of America's best-loved pulp-fiction character of the 1930s and 1940s: The Spider — Master of Men! As a special Bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction: “Meet the Spider” especially for this series of eBooks.

Walking cadavers! Blood-thirsty, nauseous gray creatures! In the dank tombs of Egypt where he seeks the secret of resurrection, Doctor Death strikes at his pursuers with the terrible inventions of his warped brain. This gripping account of a brave detective’s struggle against a scientific fiend is packed with thrills and horror. The maddest of the Mad Scientists — Doctor Death — starred in his own bizarre pulp magazine in early 1935. He consorted with demons, elementals, zombies, disinterred mummies, and other unclean denizens of Hell. Standing against him were the Secret Twelve, a band of the top U. S. civil and business leaders, headed by Jimmy Holm, a millionaire criminologist and occultist. One of the rare unabashedly supernatural series the pulps ever produced, Doctor Death returns in vintage pulp tales, reissued for today’s readers in electronic format.

One moment good-will bound the United States and the great Power across the sea… the next, shells screamed their death wails into Coast homes and factories. No citizen was safe from the bloody holocaust when the Yellow Empire struck without warning from the Pacific. With fiendish artifice the world was turned against us. And somewhere in this country, covertly completing the terrifying work of wholesale destruction, lurked the ruthless agent of the invading hordes. Operator 5 alone guessed the dread secret and matched his individual might against a million war-drunk terrorists — while the nation trembled on the brink of red wreckage! As a special Bonus, Will Murray has written an introduction especially for this series of Operator #5 eBooks.

From Earth, Venus and Mercury, three Musketeers of Space, accompanied by a female D'Artagnan, rocket out in a grim battle against the League of the Cold Worlds! From the blistering surface of Mercury to Pluto's frosty icefields, their fame had spread. John Thorn, Sual Av and Gunner Welk—better known as The Three Planeteers! Are they heroes, or outlaws? Could they be both? No more knew. When the tyrannical League of the Cold Worlds devises a super-weapon capable of annihilating the defenses of the democratic Alliance of Inner Planets, The Three Planeteers go undercover to choke off Dictator Haskell Trask's critical power supply of radite. But the mission brings them into the realm of the D'Artagnan of space, Lana Cain, legendary leader of the most brazen band of buccaneers ever to ply the space lanes. In the year 2952, the fate of the Solar System rests on a trio of hired ray-guns who dare the pirate-infested asteroid wilderness known as the Zone…from which few return…

When you purchase these beautifully reformatted eBooks from RadioArchives.com you receive all three formats in one ZIP file: PDF for PC or Mac computer; Mobi for Kindle and ePub for iPad/IPhone, Android, Sony eReader, and Nook. When you upgrade to a new eReader, you can transfer your eBook novels to your new device without the need to purchase anything new.

Find these legendary Pulp tales and more in Will Murray's Pulp Classics, available in the Kindle store and coming very soon to the iBook Store! The best Pulp eBooks now available for only $2.99 each from Radio Archives!

Om! Ma-ni pad-me Hum! The first of its kind, the complete adventures of the Green Lama follows the adventures of Buddhist Jethro Dumont and his aides as they battle the forces of evil in the western world. Written by Kendell Foster Crossen, it's non-stop action in the vein of The Shadow! Never completely reprinted before, the series is collected in three volumes. Each volume contains an all-new introduction, focusing on a different aspect of the character's life across several forms of popular media. Volume 1 contains in introduction by Will Murray and features the first five stories. Only $34.95 in the Pulp Book Store!

Available for the first time... the complete saga of Thunder Jim Wade! Written by fantasy legend Henry Kuttner, this collection reprints all five adventures of Thunder Jim Wade from 1941. Long discounted as a Doc Savage clone, Thunder Jim Wade: The Complete Series brings to life this classic pulp hero and shows him to be much more than a knock-off! Ride along with Wade and his two stalwart companions, Dirk Marat and Red Argyle, as they battle evil across the globe! Thrill along with them as they traverse the world in The Thunderbug, Jim's multifunctional transforming vehicle! Includes an all-new introduction by pulp historian Will Murray! Now available in the Pulp Book Store for $29.95!

Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows! The Shadow's underworld agents Hawkeye and Cliff Marsland take center stage in two thrilling pulp novels by Walter Gibson writing as "Maxwell Grant." First, what is the strange secret of "The Green Box" that is worth human life? The Shadow seeks the deadly secret in a masterpiece of misdirection that introduced aides Hawkeye and Tapper. Then, the Master of Darkness and his underworld operatives investigate "The Getaway Ring," a racket that helps mobsters evade capture via a modern-day "underground railway." BONUS: "The Crawling Death," a lost thriller scripted by radio Shadow Bret Morrison! This instant collector's item reprints the classic color cover paintings by George Rozen and Graves Gladney and the original interior illustrations by Tom Lovell and Edd Cartier, with historical articles by Anthony Tollin and Will Murray. Buy it today for $14.95.

TRIPLE NOVEL SPECIAL Tarzan's influence on the Man of Bronze is examined in three action-packed adventures by Lester Dent writing as "Kenneth Robeson." First, a giant "Dagger in the Sky" materializes from thin air and disappears after bizarre murders, leading Doc Savage to a South American war started by Earth's wealthiest men. Then, the Man of Bronze is asked to locate an heiress who disappeared into the Brazilian jungles years earlier. Finally, while attempting to license one of Monk's chemical inventions, Henry Jones comes into possession of "The Monkey Suit" that leads into a strange adventure, narrated in the first person. This triple-novel collector's edition showcases the original color pulp covers by Emery Clarke and Walter Swenson, the classic interior illustrations by Paul Orban and Edd Cartier and historical commentary by Will Murray, writer of nine Doc Savage novels. Priced at only $14.95.

The Pulp Era's strangest mystery man returns in two more epic adventures by Paul Ernst writing as "Kenneth Robeson." First, can Justice, Inc. prevent secrets of an ancient civilization buried for centuries in The River of Ice from destroying the modern world? Then, scientists in Paris, Berlin and Montreal exhale fire as they die, setting The Avenger on the trail of The Flame Breathers and a deadly secret that threatens to plunge the world into a fiery infernal! BONUS: a thrilling adventure of Police Commissioner James Gordon, a.k.a. The Whisperer! This classic pulp reprint showcases H. W. Scott's classic pulp covers, all the original interior illustrations by Paul Orban, and historical commentary by Will Murray for $14.95!

Pulp fiction's legendary Master of Men returns in two classic novels from the Golden Age of Pulp Fiction, written by Norvell Page under the pseudonym of Grant Stockbridge. First, in "Overlord of the Damned" (October 1935), the Boss unleashes horrible death with his demonic acid guns... with a vat of the same deadly corrosive reserved for those who talk too much! With his beloved Nita van Sloan a hostage to a terrible doom, the Spider faces the soul-tearing prospect of planting the Spider seal on his friend Stanley Kirkpatrick, Commissioner of Police! Then, in "Dictator's Death Merchants!" (July 1940), The jaws of death gape open when El Crocodilo feasts! With uncanny skill, he forestalls even the Spider's best attempts to trap him. Striking without mercy, this menace from the past rises anew by demolishing a banking institution each night, in a mad scheme to take control of nothing less than all of America's finances! This volume is available in two editions and features the original artwork from the October 1935 or the July 1940 edition of "The Spider" magazine. Both versions feature reformatted text and original interior illustrations to accompany each story. Available now for $14.95!

It is the middle of the Great Depression. In the town of Crescent City, poor but honest Tom Worth disappears. Two days later he reappears on his front porch and tells a tale of being captured by a band of tiny golden ogres dressed in loin cloths and held prisoner in a cave. These miniature cavemen were no higher than his knee. They beat him with clubs and warned that they were going to do horrible things to him and the people of Crescent City. Shortly thereafter he disappeared again.

Tom's son, Don is away at summer camp when his mother sends him the news of his father's final disappearance. Don was a hard working lad and a good student. He intended to work hard and better himself. A serious lad, Don worked odd jobs to help the family make ends meet. Any bully who tried to mess with him learned the hard way that Don was no pushover. In fact Don tried to emulate his hero, the amazing Doc Savage! He wanted to be sound in mind, body, and conscience.

Don had three good friends: B. Elmer Dexter who always had some get-rich-quick scheme, Morris 'Mental" Byron a dreamer and philosopher, and Leander 'Funny' Tucker a chubby good-natured boy and a practical joker. Together, they plan to solve the mystery of Tom Worth's disappearance. The weird aspects of this case lead Don to one logical conclusion: they must seek help from Doc Savage.

In one of his few solo adventures without his aides, Doc goes to Crescent City and almost immediately, an attempt is made on his life. He links up with Don Worth and his three friends to solve the mystery of the gold ogres.

This adventure was written specifically to inaugurate a new series of juvenile adventures starring Don Worth and his friends that would emulate the more mature stories in the Doc Savage series for younger readers. The projected series never did materialize but Lester Dent left us an example of his writing talents for a young adult audience. Every Doc savage should read this unique addition to the Doc Savage canon and you can get yours today, plus another titanic Doc Savage tale in Doc Savage Volume 20 from Radio Archives for only $12.95!

Comments From Our Customers!

C. Eugene Schneider writes:

When I found Radio Archives in 2000, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Continuing on 11 or so years later, I must say you produce the finest quality Old Time Radio recordings in your industry. I am very grateful for them and looking forward to what may be around the corner. The quality you provide is better than the original broadcasts. Thank you and keep up the fantastic work.

Larry Hultgren writes:

THANKS for all of your work in making excellent quality old time radio programs available. Great variety in your selections and wonderful service!

Mitzi McLaughlin writes:

This is great! I appreciate all of you so much for keeping this alive!

If you'd like to share a comment with us or if you have a question or a suggestion send an email to Service@RadioArchives.com. We'd love to hear from you!

The products you've read about in this newsletter are just a small fraction of what you'll find waiting for you at RadioArchives.com. Whether it's the sparkling audio fidelity of our classic radio collections, the excitement of our new line of audiobooks, or the timeless novels of the pulp heroes, you'll find hundreds of intriguing items at RadioArchives.com.

New Pulp Author Bobby Nash was recently interviewed by Jessica Lay for her Jess Resides Here blog. They discuss everything from Bobby's latest work, the art of making covers, and what types of books he likes to read.

A leader in New Pulp Fiction, Pro Se Productions announced today openings in several upcoming anthologies and a new way that the company would be soliciting writers to participate in upcoming collections."One of the thrills," stated Tommy Hancock, Partner in and Editor in Chief of Pro Se, "of being a New Pulp writer and publisher is the need to write and offer opportunities for others to write all the cool ideas that could possibly fit between the covers of a book. This fact is something that Publishers, small and large alike, recognize. As Pro Se's presence increases at Conventions/Conferences, one question more than any other comes up constantly. And it's the question a Publisher wants to hear, one that, fortunately for Pro Se, has been unsolicited. That is, writers and artists seeking out Pro Se and asking this most favorite of questions- "You got anything open for submissions?" or the very similar "What anthologies can I submit to?"

"After giving this some thought and looking at how not only the New Pulp crew does it, but also at how larger presses and even the largest of the Publishers handle such things, Pro Se has decided to change up its Anthology process a bit. This will not affect how PULP OBSCURA or future 'invite only' Anthologies are done at all. There will still be special projects, of course. But there will also be the PRO SE OPEN."

"Essentially," explained Hancock, "The Pro Se Open will be a list of Anthologies that Pro Se plans to do in the future. This is an open call on all the books listed in the Open, that is anyone can submit a story for any of the books in the list. There is no deadline essentially, that is until all the slots open in any given book are filled."

The Process will be as follows-

1. An upcoming Anthology is listed in the Pro Se Open.

2. Submissions are accepted (a 2-3 paragraph proposal for the story and at least a two page writing sample if you are a new writer submitting to Pro Se)

3. When the slots for the collection are all filled, a deadline will be set of approximately ninety days from the closing of the anthology. This will give writers time to complete their tales, artists time to do covers, etc.

4. The book will be published within approximately 30 days following the passing of the deadline.

Even though the deadline will be 2-3 months out once a book is closed, Editors assigned to these projects will follow up, monitor, and make sure work is being done. Steps will be taken to move the anthology along as planned if work is not being done in a timely manner. This means, however, that until all the slots are filled on an anthology in The Pro Se Open, it will remain open, but it is Pro Se's commitment that once all the works are in for a particular collection, that that collection move into high gear toward publication, regardless of current publishing schedule.

The Pro Se Open will be updated periodically as to adding new collections and removing ones that have been filled.

Anthologies currently listed in the Pro Se Open are as follows-

PULPOLOGY- It has been said often that Pulp has its origins in ancient tales, legends, the mythologies of many lands. Taking this to heart, this anthology will feature stories starring characters from mythologies around the world! Actual mythological characters in new adventures set in their own era, the ancient world of heroes and monsters, or updated takes on classic myths (Jason and The Argonauts in the Old West, for example). Either way, these stories will spotlight the characters and strengths of mythologies world wide and put a two fisted, high octane Pulp spin on the legends themselves! 6 Stories, 10,000 words each.

THE ADVENTURES OF MOOSE AND SKWIRL, TROUBLETAKERS- Trouble happens everywhere in the universe. Any time. Any place. And to make sure whatever cockeyed balance there is is kept, the universe takes care of itself, assigning special individuals to the unpredictable, unrewarding, and usually life threatening task of just being in the completely wrong places at the totally right times to hopefully keep everyone...or most everyone from dying. But the universe doesn't trust just one person to do this, no it works in groups of two. Moose-Stocky, barrel chested, two fisted, sarcastic, and ready to deliver a soliloquy over the bodies of whoever stands in his way... And Skwirl-Seductive, sexy, and with a sense of humor that could kill....literally. These two 'Trouble Takers' travel space and time very much at random, figuring out whatever issue they are thrown into and then fixing it. In their own unique, usually very destructive, bloody way. Five slots, 12,500 word stories ( If interested, request short bible for this one).

SIX GUNS AND SPACESHIPS- This is a wide open, do it as you want Space Western Anthology. The requirements- It's got to be a mash up between classic westerns and space opera (Firefly, Outland, Bravestarr, just a few examples). It doesn't take place on Earth at all, has to be off planet, but time period and location beyond that are up to the writer! 5 open slots, 12,500 word stories.

TO LOVE AND DIE- Pulp Romance is back! And its deadlier than ever! These stories will be set in any time period up until modern day and must feature two things-Romance...and Treachery. These stories may be mysteries, horror tales, adventure yarns, whatever, but there must be a strong core of romance mixed with danger throughout. Six Open Slots, 10,000 word stories

NEWSHOUNDS! - Dogged reporters, crusty editors, copyboys and cub photographers with dreams of grandeur, Pressmen who know the city lives and breathes by what they print! One of the most fertile grounds for action packed pulp has always been the newspaper office. And all those wonderful character types and more all work for The Partisan, a 1950s paper partial to the common man, to righting the wrongs done against the innocent and the weak! And this gaggle of hard bitten, hard fighitng men and women are known near and far to those who love them and those who wish to see them dead! Do No Wrong in Their City unless you want it covered by the Newshounds! 5 open slots, 12,500 word stories (If interested, request short bible for this one)

THE NINTH CIRCLE-VOLUME ONE, This collection centers around a crime ridden precinct and borough in a city that shuffles its misbegotten and forgotten to THE NINTH CIRCLE. Six Slots-10,000 word stories (If interested, request short bible for this one)

DEAD MAN WALKEN- This western adventure has enough intrigue and mystery to choke a horse! A town is savagely attacked by a ruthless band of outlaws and most of the citizens killed, including the promising sheriff elect, Fitch Walken. A month after the massacre and all the bodies are buried, Fitch Walken stumbles into town, the last three months of his life gone from his memory! The mystery deepens when Walken's grave is exhumed...and he's IN THE COFFIN! What follows is the classic struggle of a man to find out who he is, what happened to him, and just which side of good and evil he will stand on! Five Slots Open-12,500 word stories (If interested, request short bible for this one)

THE BLACK FEDORA-A BOOK OF VILLAINS- This is just what it says it is, an anthology dedicated to stories about the bad guys we love to hate. These stories will focus on original villains and of course the heroes they face, these tales similar in style to the FU MANCHU stories of the past. But this isn't only for yellow perils!! Any type of villain that populates pulp is welcome to try on THE BLACK FEDORA! Two slots open, 15,000 word stories

HIGH ADVENTURE HISTORY-Ever wanted a chance to write a masked man enforcing justice in ancient Egypt? Or a larger than life genius and his team of heroes righting wrongs in renaissance Italy? Or mad scientists terrorizing the Arizona desert towns of the Old West? Then here's your chance! HIGH ADVENTURE HISTORY will include stories of traditional pulp concepts and tropes plopped into our very own past, pre 1900! Take your favorite pulp stereotype and wrap it up in ancient or not so ancient places and people and join us in HIGH ADVENTURE HISTORY! Five Slots open, 12,500 words stories.

THE SHAMUS DIRECTIVE is a project actually founded in historical context. Just prior to and all during World War Two, The United States government via the FBI as well as members of the Armed Forces, developed dossiers on all licensed Private Investigators in the country. A list was then comprised of the ones deemed appropriate and 'good' and they were then considered to be 'cleared' to be used in espionage missions, mostly on the homefront, or missions that regular forces just could not deal with for various reasons. THE SHAMUS DIRECTIVE poses the theory that not only was this list compiled, but the people on it were truly the world's greatest detectives and they were formed into sort of a team to handle major issues in conjunction, even maybe saving major parcels of land and people in the process. Three Slots Open, 10,000 word stories (If interested, request short bible for this one)

If you're a writer or artist and are interested in these anthologies or have questions, email Hancock at proseproductions@earthlink.net! And check out Pro Se at www.prosepulp.com and www.pulpmachine.blogspot.com.

Pro Se Productions, a leading Publisher of New Pulp, announces its latest volume today, a debut novel from a long time contributor to Pro Se's award winning magazine line.

"Science Fiction," Tommy Hancock, Partner in and Editor in Chief of Pro Se Productions stated, "is definitely a cornerstone of Pulp Fiction, both Classic and New. It's an area, though, that Pro Se really hasn't gotten into until recently with some entries in our magazines. 'Savior' by Don Thomas is our first novel jumping nose first into that genre and we're really proud of that. And it's a vein of Science Fiction that's somewhat popular lately, apocalyptic virus takes on the world and a small portion of the population rises to combat it. But it's also different, too, in that Don exposes what happens when that small section of humanity becomes heroes of almost cosmic proportions in the eyes of the world and at what costs this takes place."

From the back cover copy for SAVIOR by Don Thomas-

In the Near Future, a Red Death will cover the world. As civilization struggles to survive, one government emerges with a sliver of hope- The Strategic Agency against Viral Infections by Organized Resistance. SAVIOR.SAVIOR delivered on the promise of a miracle cure, elevating themselves into legends...but behind every legend lies truths and secrets...truths and secrets former SAVIOR agent Steve Ryker has sworn to bring into the light...even if it kills him.

SAVIOR is the debut novel of author Don Thomas, a mainstay writer of Pro Se Presents, a two year award winning New Pulp magazine. Complete with fully realized characters, lightning fast pacing, and more meteoric action, SAVIOR proves to be a solid, taut science fiction thriller!

SAVIOR-Edited by Nancy Hansen, Cover Art by Marc Guerrero and Design by Sean E. Ali! Ebook Formatting by Russ Anderson! Available now on Amazon and at www.prosepulp.com and in ebook form at Smashwords, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble!

About Deadly Games!:
They played the most dangerous game of all and death was only the beginning...

Six years ago, Police Detective John Bartlett and journalist Benjamin West were instrumental in the capture of notorious master criminal Darrin Morehouse. Their story played out in the media, rocketing both Bartlett and West into local celebrity status.

Today, Morehouse, still a master game player and manipulator, commits suicide while in prison. His death initiates one final game of survival for the people Morehouse felt wronged him the most. At that top of the list are Bartlett and West, who must set aside their differences to save the lives of Morehouse's other victims and solve one last game before a dead man’s hired killers catch them and his other enemies.

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Concerning Editorial pieces/Columns/Reviews on ALL PULP-Opinions and Views Expressed in a Column, Review, or other non news editorial piece are clearly the views of the Individual writing the piece and do not necessarily in any way reflect the views of ALL PULP or its staff as a collective.